Attention all Knifemakers!.....Product dealers/retailers and/or knife makers/sharpeners/hobbyists (etc) are not permitted to insert business related text/videos/images (company/company name/product references) and/or links into your signature line, your homepage url (within the homepage profile box), within any posts, within your avatar, nor anywhere else on this site. Market research (such as asking questions regarding or referring to products/services that you make/offer for sale or posting pictures of finished projects) is prohibited. These features are reserved for supporting vendors and hobbyists.....Also, there is no need to announce to the community that you are a knifemaker unless you're trying to sell something so please refrain from sharing.
Thanks for your co-operation!

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

If you can do just over $200, I'd recommend a Gesshin Kagero from Japanese Knife Imports. It's a lot of knife for the money. Steel gets incredibly sharp and edge retention is amazing. Cuts an onion like butter. Really natural profile too. I just bought one for myself after using a coworkers. It made prep fun for he first time in a LONG time. I'm really excited to get mine. Spine and choil are nicely rounded too. The only thing to nit pick would be the F&F on the handle, could be better. But in all, for around $200, if westerns are cool, you can't do better.

Masahiro tend to have larger handles IME.
Not sure about the handle of the CarboNext, but thought it deserves a mention for the value.

I have a 240 CarboNext. The handle feels about the same, or maybe a touch larger, than the 240 Suisin Western Inox that I tried.

It's definitely got a larger handle than the 210 Gesshin Kagero, although I really liked the balance and feel of the Kagero. I also prefer the balance and feel of the 240 Suisin Western Inox. The CarboNext is definitely a blade heavy knife.

Have you considered the Hiromoto AS? [Tenmi Jyuraku Aogami Super Series ]

The CarboNext is a great knife, but since I bought one I do always wonder what the AS would have been like, and they are an endangered species as well by all accounts as the maker is getting close to retirement.

Have you considered the Hiromoto AS? [Tenmi Jyuraku Aogami Super Series ]

The CarboNext is a great knife, but since I bought one I do always wonder what the AS would have been like, and they are an endangered species as well by all accounts as the maker is getting close to retirement.

Robert

Good idea. As the OP has maintained his gyuto for twenty years, the Hiromoto won't be a problem, really.

No problem.
I'm from the UK but back in 90/91 i was working in the US and my whole knife roll was stolen from the locker room of the hotel i was working in and this was one of the knives i bought to replace them. I don't remember if it was American or a European brand but it lasted pretty well. It's got to a point now though where it just won't take any sort of edge and while i'm sure something could be done to revive it i decided i just fancy something new.

Thanks for all the replys so far, i have gone off the Hiromoto since i saw a review where someone specifically mentioned that they found the handle a little small for their hand. I find myself being drawn towards the Kanetsugu Saiun, the more i see it the more i like the look of the handle and frankly i don't think i'd go far wrong if i bought any of the knives mentioned here. I'm sure they are all excellent compared to the average high street knives and i don't think i'd have any trouble passing it on if it didn't suit me for any reason.

No problem.
I'm from the UK but back in 90/91 i was working in the US and my whole knife roll was stolen from the locker room of the hotel i was working in and this was one of the knives i bought to replace them. I don't remember if it was American or a European brand but it lasted pretty well. It's got to a point now though where it just won't take any sort of edge and while i'm sure something could be done to revive it i decided i just fancy something new.

Hi subtle -

Nice photo, thanks!

I think most people here will now want to know how you have been sharpening your knife. If you take that one to some waterstones you should be able to put a really good edge back onto it, but I totally get the "just fancy something new" thing. The advice that is going to come will be that if you are going to get a japanese knife (which I strongly advise you do as they are mostly rather amazing) you will need to get some waterstones and learn how to use them. Its not that difficult, and they don't need to be that expensive but finding decent priced ones in UK is possible but not that easy - where in UK are you? Once you decide on a knife and decide how much you can spend on stones you can practise on your old knife before you play with the new one. You may need a low grit stone to start off the old knife, but if money is an object you could get a combination 1000/4000 stone or similar which will be fine for you to learn on with your new knife (at least in my limited experience this is so).

Being in UK means that unless you are happy to pay import duties (I think they are around 40%?) you are a little limited in where you get the knife from. Japanese Chefs Knife seems to get knives to us here with no issues, and there is also the Korin France site, which is not too bad pricewise. It looks like you have already found JCK.

I have not used or seen or heard anything about the Kanetsugu Damascus you mention, but to my very limited knowledge I would have thought you could get a much better knife for your $167. Others may correct me but you might find it easier to sell on a non-damascus knife. [Really good damascus tends to be very expensive]

[[---EDIT---I just noticed they only have that gyuto in 200mm---]]

What is your top budget?

I ended up with a CarboNext that I am very pleased with. The handle is not greatly different from the Sabatier I had before. At first it seemed a little small but now it feels perfect and the old Sab (looks like yours might be a sabatier?) handle now feels clumsy. The semi-stainless is fine for me.

I tend to agree with Robert about the old one's origin: it's a traditional French knife. As long as the finger guard is not reduced you just can't sharpen it. I guess it will further need some serious thinning.
Both operations can best be performed with a belt sander. Don't try this on stones.